The ARCCRABP1 neurons play a crucial role in the regulation of energy homeostasis

Abstract Recent single-cell RNA sequencing study suggested that CRABP1 expressing neurons in the arcuate nucleus (ARCCRABP1 neurons) were a distinct group of neurons. However, the physiological role of ARCCRABP1 neurons remains unexplored. Here, we demonstrated that ARCCRABP1 neurons played a crucia...

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Main Authors: Lihong Yan, Xin Zhang, Liling Jin, Yin Li, Yang Chen, Jubiao Zhang, Zhenning Sun, Junxia Qi, Changqing Qu, Guanzhong Dong, Yongjie Zhang, Qin Jiang, An Liu, Juxue Li
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2025-03-01
Series:Nature Communications
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-57411-7
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author Lihong Yan
Xin Zhang
Liling Jin
Yin Li
Yang Chen
Jubiao Zhang
Zhenning Sun
Junxia Qi
Changqing Qu
Guanzhong Dong
Yongjie Zhang
Qin Jiang
An Liu
Juxue Li
author_facet Lihong Yan
Xin Zhang
Liling Jin
Yin Li
Yang Chen
Jubiao Zhang
Zhenning Sun
Junxia Qi
Changqing Qu
Guanzhong Dong
Yongjie Zhang
Qin Jiang
An Liu
Juxue Li
author_sort Lihong Yan
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Recent single-cell RNA sequencing study suggested that CRABP1 expressing neurons in the arcuate nucleus (ARCCRABP1 neurons) were a distinct group of neurons. However, the physiological role of ARCCRABP1 neurons remains unexplored. Here, we demonstrated that ARCCRABP1 neurons played a crucial role in regulation of energy homeostasis in male mice. Ablation of ARCCRABP1 neurons resulted in obesity and a diabetic phenotype in mice. By employing chemogenetic or optogenetic manipulation techniques, the inhibition and activation of ARCCRABP1 neurons resulted in an increase and decrease in food intake, respectively. The axon terminals from these ARCCRABP1 neurons project to several brain regions implicated in feeding regulation such as PVH, BNST, PBN, and NTS. Optogenetic manipulation of these axons within these brain regions resulted in significant alterations of food intake behavior in mice. Furthermore, the electrophysiological studies demonstrated that the activation of ARCCRABP1 neurons induces depolarization in POMC neurons in the hypothalamus. The hormone stimulation studies showed that most of the ARCCRABP1 neurons respond to insulin. Collectively, our findings demonstrate that ARCCRABP1 neurons represent a distinct neuronal subtype involved in energy homeostasis regulation.
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spelling doaj-art-447a2f4eca3a4bec900972ac2e74e2c52025-08-20T02:59:54ZengNature PortfolioNature Communications2041-17232025-03-0116111610.1038/s41467-025-57411-7The ARCCRABP1 neurons play a crucial role in the regulation of energy homeostasisLihong Yan0Xin Zhang1Liling Jin2Yin Li3Yang Chen4Jubiao Zhang5Zhenning Sun6Junxia Qi7Changqing Qu8Guanzhong Dong9Yongjie Zhang10Qin Jiang11An Liu12Juxue Li13State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine and Offspring Health, Nanjing Medical UniversityState Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine and Offspring Health, Nanjing Medical UniversityState Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine and Offspring Health, Nanjing Medical UniversityState Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine and Offspring Health, Nanjing Medical UniversityState Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine and Offspring Health, Nanjing Medical UniversityState Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine and Offspring Health, Nanjing Medical UniversityState Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine and Offspring Health, Nanjing Medical UniversityState Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine and Offspring Health, Nanjing Medical UniversityFuyang Normal University, Engineering Technology Research Center of Anti-aging Chinese Herbal MedicineThe Second People’s Hospital of Changzhou, the Third Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Changzhou Medical Center, Nanjing Medical UniversityDepartment of Human Anatomy of Nanjing Medical University, Human Brain Tissue Resource Center of Nanjing Medical University, National Health and Disease Human Brain Tissue Resource Center — sub-center of Nanjing Medical UniversityThe Affiliated Eye Hospital, Nanjing Medical UniversityThe Key Laboratory of Developmental Genes and Human Disease, Ministry of Education, The School of Life Science and Technology, Southeast UniversityState Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine and Offspring Health, Nanjing Medical UniversityAbstract Recent single-cell RNA sequencing study suggested that CRABP1 expressing neurons in the arcuate nucleus (ARCCRABP1 neurons) were a distinct group of neurons. However, the physiological role of ARCCRABP1 neurons remains unexplored. Here, we demonstrated that ARCCRABP1 neurons played a crucial role in regulation of energy homeostasis in male mice. Ablation of ARCCRABP1 neurons resulted in obesity and a diabetic phenotype in mice. By employing chemogenetic or optogenetic manipulation techniques, the inhibition and activation of ARCCRABP1 neurons resulted in an increase and decrease in food intake, respectively. The axon terminals from these ARCCRABP1 neurons project to several brain regions implicated in feeding regulation such as PVH, BNST, PBN, and NTS. Optogenetic manipulation of these axons within these brain regions resulted in significant alterations of food intake behavior in mice. Furthermore, the electrophysiological studies demonstrated that the activation of ARCCRABP1 neurons induces depolarization in POMC neurons in the hypothalamus. The hormone stimulation studies showed that most of the ARCCRABP1 neurons respond to insulin. Collectively, our findings demonstrate that ARCCRABP1 neurons represent a distinct neuronal subtype involved in energy homeostasis regulation.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-57411-7
spellingShingle Lihong Yan
Xin Zhang
Liling Jin
Yin Li
Yang Chen
Jubiao Zhang
Zhenning Sun
Junxia Qi
Changqing Qu
Guanzhong Dong
Yongjie Zhang
Qin Jiang
An Liu
Juxue Li
The ARCCRABP1 neurons play a crucial role in the regulation of energy homeostasis
Nature Communications
title The ARCCRABP1 neurons play a crucial role in the regulation of energy homeostasis
title_full The ARCCRABP1 neurons play a crucial role in the regulation of energy homeostasis
title_fullStr The ARCCRABP1 neurons play a crucial role in the regulation of energy homeostasis
title_full_unstemmed The ARCCRABP1 neurons play a crucial role in the regulation of energy homeostasis
title_short The ARCCRABP1 neurons play a crucial role in the regulation of energy homeostasis
title_sort arccrabp1 neurons play a crucial role in the regulation of energy homeostasis
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-57411-7
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